Rigging My STORM JIB For The FIRST TIME, Have I Done It Right? | Sailing Madness Ep51

[@ExtraordinaryHorizons]

What an adventure😮 Were in the middle of rebuilding our 65' power catamaran and so excited on what awaits us when we start our journey.

[@christopher-2000]

awesome video

[@sailingmadness]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks Chris. 👍

[@tonys1636]

Hope that Robin managed to stay safe from both Éowyn and Herminia, seems that Spain, Portugal and France have had a two more named Atlantic storms than us in Ireland, UK and NL since October.

[@sailingmadness]

Hi Tony. Yes Robin is making good progress and is nowhere near the recent UK/European storms. There will be another postcard update from Robin in the next episode. 👍

[@grahamhowat7749]

We fitted a removable inner fore stay where your u bolt is so the storm or heavy weather jib can be hanked on well in advance of any blow and tucked away when not needed to avoid the genoa getting caught when tacking. That wrap around method does work once hoisted but almost impossible to rig when at sea in wind. Also, we have jib sheets permanently attached to the storm sail. Not sure about using the stanchion reefing line eyes for your jib sheets, they may become over strained when the jib is fully loaded. Perhaps a conversation with a rigger?

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Graham. Good point about the stanchion fairlead, thank you. Yes I think the way forward is to get a rigger to fit a removable inner forestay. 👍

[@jasonchamberlin1532]

Those pad eyes themselves should be ok. The issue will be what is backing them and how strong the deck itself is in those parts. I would have a quick look. If it's just some penny washer sbe very careful. if it's a proper backing plate then should be ok but i would want to see some strengthening of the deck around there - ideally already laminated in. I would expect that those fitting are originally planned for things like spinnaker boom downhauls so would be used to taking some load but not inner forestay loads.

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Jason. Appreciate you taking the time to comment. The forward U bolt does have a backing plate between the 2 shafts and the deck is a good 80cm thick, but it's not glassed or reinforced below the deck. I've now decided to get a rigger to look at fitting a removable inner forestay. 👍

[@jcfgh]

U bolts will be fine if they have backing plates. Hope you survived the recent storms. I should have thought that a very heavily reefed genoa would do the same thing, provided it couldnt blow out.

[@sailingmadness]

Hi there. Many thanks for your comment, yes Ive checked the U bolts and they both have backing plates, the deck is a good 80cm thick which makes me think they will be strong enough. Ive not been up to the boat yet, but I called the marina on Saturday and they confirmed there was no damage to the boat during storm Eowyn, which was lucky as they had 80mph winds for a time. I'm heading up next week so fingers crossed all will be OK. 👍

[@adrianpage3333]

Dave, you don’t want to be messing with that when the proverbial hits the fan, reef your white sails down or roll away completely and get the iron sail into gear. Better still keep an eye on the forecast and stay in the pub with a nice pint of Guinness.

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Adrian, sitting it out in a pub with a pint of Guinness is the best advice so far. 😜 👍

[@tonyhalsall3170]

My understanding is that u bolt strength is greatest when the load is in line with the direction that it is fitted and weakest at ninety to degrees to the direction that it is fitted. My concern with how you have rigged the sheet (around 11.00’) is that the direction of force is away from the line of the bolt. In any event, as others have said, if you really are concerned about needing a storm gib, better get a forestry fitted and have it hanked on before you have to risk your life going fwd in ever worsening conditions.

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Tony. Totally get your theory on the U bolt strength and the direction the load will be pulling on them. My plan now is to get a rigger to fit an inner forestay. 👍

[@robbieodonovan1201]

The U Bolts are grand, by any chance is there a bulkhead very close to the Ubolt? It could be utilised for a chain plate maybe? Just an idea

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Robbie, Im going to book a rigger to come and take a look for me. 👍

[@Sailingpilotchris]

Hi Dave. When you talk about more wind. How was storm Eowyn - were you pretty much a direct hit?

[@sailingmadness]

Hi Chris. Ive not been up to the boat yet, but I called the marina on Saturday and they confirmed there was no damage to the boat during storm Eowyn, which was lucky as they had 80mph winds for a time. I'm heading up next week so fingers crossed all will be OK. 👍

[@tonys1636]

We got clobbered in SW Éire by it all the way up the country to NI, 100 plus mph winds, then two days later the Spanish named Herminia with 70 mph winds that went up the English Channel and affected Northern Spain, Southern England and France. Not quite the weather bomb of Éowyn just a normal winter storm for West Cork but aggravated by many areas being without power or water. One saving grace they did not coincide with a spring tide and for once my valley ran in the right direction so both blew across in opposite directions not up or down it.

[@paulcollins4932]

I can see why you never used it, you need a fore stay or get used to using the Genoa partly unfurled . Those fittings should be good but only in wind up to 40 knots any more and you will need to use the Genoa sheets for safety

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Paul, yes I think the way forward is with an inner forestay. 👍

[@markthomasson5077]

Hmmm. Perhaps you are doing it the wrong way round. All that half raised sail is going to be hell. Perhaps better to attach from the bottom upwards, bunching it up and sitting on it until fully rigged, then hoist?

[@markthomasson5077]

…whatever, go out and try in strong winds n big sea

[@gertboerman3666]

Install an inner forestay. Never make a stormjib selftacking. On an inner forestay the stormjib will be closer to the mast which improves balancing the boat if you have to drop the main. And I may add: This idea of a stormjib set up that came with the boat is 100% ridiculous. I cannot start giving you a list of all the disadvantages. Dave, go for the inner forestay. Maybe reinforce that point on deck and running backstays.

[@sailingmadness]

Thank you. Yes I think the way forward is to fit a removable inner forestay. 👍 Can you tell me why you shouldn’t make a storm job self tacking?

[@gertboerman3666]

@@sailingmadness Let me rephrase. I would never do it. It requires a lot of hardware. A rail, at least 4 blocks and all the shackles and other fittings. Besides, and that is my main reason, one will not be able to use it if you want to heave to. Unless you roll out a bit of the mainjib and douse the stormjib. But of course, it remains a matter of choice.

[@sailingmadness]

Oh! Yes I didn’t think about not being able to heave to. Good pint. 👍

[@gertboerman3666]

@@sailingmadness It says "Good pint". Coming from you this might not be a typing error. Or is it? 😇

[@sailingmadness]

That was an appropriate typo, 🤪 I think you’ve been watching too many Sailing Madness videos. 🤣🤣

[@davepersich3035]

For the time and cost involved, and finding a rigger that knows what he's doing, why bother. If it gets a bit blowy, can't you just reef in the genoa? You are not going to sail in storms on a regular basis are you? You can put a storm jib on the forestay with a rollerfurling genoa by using a dacron sleeve to go over it. Might be simpler and cheaper rather than fitting an inner forestay.

[@jackgoresailing]

That all seems like a pain in the arse to be doing whilst dancing on the deck in a f9. Get a removable forestay, which you can hank on in advance.

[@iainmacdonald1170]

You’re right, but the forces on the deck and mast are huge. You’ll need to seriously strengthen the deck to take the loads which is a big task in itself. Then you might need to fit running backstays from the mast. All that can be an incredible faff in itself, complicating your rigging and giving you more to trip over. While the system shown in the video is very far from perfect, it can be the best compromise for a boat that may have to face occasional heavy weather and who’s crew can set it up well in advance. No way I’d try to rig that in bouncy seas.

[@sailingmadness]

Thanks Jack, yes that's is now the plan. 👍

[@jackgoresailing]

@@iainmacdonald1170 I would agree. Would do some research dave onto what other bav 36s have done - not wanting to kill the dreams, is it really necessary?

[@albertofourie3294]

Do yourself a favour and get a forestay. Problem solved.

[@sailingmadness]

Many thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes totally agree, this is now the plan. 👍